Tunisia and Libya launch offshore oil and gas exploration tenders

A joint Tunisian-Libyan company, Joint Oil, has initiated two international tenders aimed at exploring and developing offshore oil and gas zones in the maritime area shared by Tunisia and Libya. This initiative seeks to bolster energy potential in the region. The first tender targets continued exploration in the "Joint Oil" block, spanning approximately 3,000 square kilometers, with the goal of identifying new reserves under an exploration and production sharing agreement.

The second tender focuses on the Zarat block, located entirely within Tunisian territorial waters. Its objective is the development and exploitation of hydrocarbon resources. The company has set a timeline for interested firms to submit bids between August and December 2026, with contract awards expected in March 2027.

In parallel, Algeria is strengthening its energy support for Tunisia. Through the Sonelgaz group, Algeria will guarantee electricity supply to the Tunisian market during the summer of 2026, reaffirming its commitment to a strategic partnership. Discussions also included a proposal for Algeria to assist Tunisia in building a 1,400-megawatt combined cycle power plant, aimed at enhancing Tunisia's national electricity production capacity and deepening bilateral energy cooperation.